Rick Perry Will Return to a Texas With 1,300 Fewer Homes

Rick Perry has quite the mess to come home to. In the morning estimates following last night's GOP debate, the number of homes destroyed in the Bastrop County, Texas wildfires totals 1,386 and it remains just 30 percent contained. That's despite the best efforts of a range of emergency personnel, including state police, DPS Troopers, and the Austin Police Department aided by eight Black Hawk helicopters and three Chinook helicopters. In total, there are 366 firefighters combating a blaze that has swallowed up about 38,000 acres, claimed two lives and displaced over 5,000 residents, reports Austin's Fox 7 affiliate. It's quite the disaster and you can bet Perry's taking heat for skipping off to the debate (whether justified or not). In an Austin Chroniclecolumn titled "Debate or Fire? Debate," Richard Whittaker pondered "what happens if the situation gets worse (as it could)?" The best option? "Maybe we could send the Department of Public Safety to get him."